The invention relates to a rotary axle structure for portable computers and particularly to a rotary axle structure that allows the display device to be flipped open relative to the main body and be swiveled without scrapping the surface of the main body, and allows the display device to be folded closely over the main body.
Over the years many products and patents have been developed and disclosed for portable computers. To increase the convenience of utilization, these days some portable computers have features that allow the display device to be swiveled relative to the main body.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional rotary axle 11 that has a turnable swivel means with a pivotal shaft engaged thereon. The pivotal shaft allows the display device 1 to be opened relative to the main body 2, while the swivel allows the display device 1 to be swiveled relative to the main body 2. The rotary axle 11 thus constructed is not very stable. When the display device 1 is opened and swiveled relative to the main body 2, the bottom side of the display device 1 often forms a contact frictional area 21 on the surface of the main body 21. Hence the swiveling of the display device 1 is prone to incur a scraping damage on the surface of the main body 2 and spoils the appearance of the main body 2. In serious occasions the swiveling display device 1 even hits or jams the button keys located on the surface of the main body 2 and causes scrapes, faulty pressing of the button keys and rough swiveling.
In order to prevent the aforesaid disadvantages, some venders have introduced an improved swivel axle. FIG. 2 shows one of the examples. It has an extended swivel axle 12 which may raise the elevation of the display device 1. While such a design enables the display device 1 to be opened and swiveled without the problems set forth above, the extended swivel axle 12 forms a gap 22 with the main body 2 when closed. As a result, the display device 1 and the main body 2 are easily contaminated.
In view of the foregoing concerns, it""s important to design a swivel axle structure for portable computers that enables the display device to swivel without scraping the surface of the main body and the display device, and avoid hitting the button keys or forming a gap between the display device and the main body when folded to eliminate contamination.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a swivel axle structure for portable computers enabling the display device to be swiveled without scraping the surfaces of the main body and the display device, or hitting the button keys.
The swivel axle structure of the invention is for portable computers that have a display device and a main body. The swivel axle structure includes a pivotal shaft turnable in the direction of a first axis and a swivel apparatus swivelable in the direction of a second axis. The pivotal shaft is located on the display device and has two leaning elements (leaning sections). The swivel apparatus is located on the main body and includes a first component, a second component, an elastic element and a third component. The first component includes two lugs and a strut. The lugs are located on one end of the first component to couple with the pivotal shaft. The strut is located on another end of the first component. The second component is located on the main body and is coupled on the strut, and has a swivel edge on one end. The swivel edge has two indented notches and a sloped element (to provide a lifting path) corresponding to the leaning elements. The elastic element is coupled with the strut and has one end in contact with the second component. The third component is coupled on the strut and fastened to the first component, and is connected to another end of the elastic element.
When in use, lift and open the display device relative to the main body, and turn the leaning elements along the indented notches to swivel the display device. The leaning elements can be lifted to the sloped element and avoid the indented notches. In the mean time, the first component and the third component are lifted upwards relative to the second component. The elastic element harnesses the first component to connect the leaning elements to the swivel edge. Thus when the display device is swiveled, it is lifted upwards and moved away from the main body. In other words, the leaning elements move on the sloped element to alter the distance between the leaning element in the direction of the first axis and the main body.
1. The invention has the following effects: When the display device is swiveled, it does not scrape the surface of the main body or the display-bottom, and button keys are not pressed.
2. When the display device is folded over the main body, there is no gap between the two. Thus contamination is eliminated.
3. By providing a retaining element and the design of an axle hole of the second component, cables can be disposed inside the axle hole without rupture, caused by over-swiveling of the display device.
4. The elastic element can prevent the display device from loosening or wobbling during swiveling.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.